Ashland Area Council
for Economic Development
Grant helping with educational opportunities

Megan EdwardsPublished: July 15, 2006 12:00AM

By MEGAN EDWARDS
T-G Staff Writer
The doors are opening for manufacturing and industrial employees as well as adults in the county interested in obtaining more education.
Don Plotts of North Central State College attended the Ashland Area Council for Economic Development meeting Thursday morning to tell members of the opportunities for Ashland County.
Last year, Richland County Job and Family Services obtained a $1.9 million grant from the Ohio Department of Development. The grants purpose, Plotts said, is to upgrade skills for employees in all aspects of the manufacturing arena, including those displaced who would like to get back into manufacturing jobs.
According to Plotts, NCSC wrote the grant and applied for the it in cooperation with Richland County Job and Family Services and Richland County commissioners.
North Central State College would assist in the training program, though training can be sought through other avenues, said Dave Williamson, governors regional representative for economic development for Region 6 and deputy director for the Department of Development.
The money, which is Workforce Investment Act money and is part of Gov. Bob Tafts Workforce Development initiative, is available to Ashland County as well as eight other counties in Region 6: Richland, Knox, Marion, Morrow, Crawford, Wyandot, Senaca and Huron.
Its very unique training and based on specific needs, Williamson said.
The training program offers many avenues for training, including attending the colleges Kehoe Center for Advanced training in Shelby. Grant money also can be used to bring trainers to the place of business, or, Plotts suggested, the Career Center could be subcontracted if interested.
About $600,000 of the grant already has been spent and the grant is beginning it second year. In the grants first year, about 6,900 people have benefited from the program, Plotts said.
In other business, the council discussed a driving tour members took Wednesday around the city to look at different industries and potential sites for various businesses.
Member John Hovsepian remarked on an empty building near Ashland Business Park, which had been occupied by a lithograph company at one time.
I know this is extremely difficult to do, but you drive down the road and you want people to put businesses there, Hovsepian said. But we have empty buildings there and theyre not taking care of these buildings. As a business owner, you dont have to take care of it, but it would sure play well.
Keeping up with the property, Hovsepian said, would help the owners sell the property and help sell property for the business park.
The council will take a tour of properties in southern Ashland County Aug. 9. Members will meet 7:30 a.m. in the parking lot of the Municipal Building on Claremont Avenue, then drive to southern Ashland County.
The council also approved up to $2,500 for a marketing program implemented by Evan Scurti, economic development department director. The money will go toward materials to market Ashland Business Park. Among other things, Scurti plans on sending a packet of information, including aerial shots, of potential sites to more than 30 site consultants.
n Megan Edwards can be reached at 419-281-0581, ext. 239, or medwards@times-gazette.com.